[mithun]

I know very well that Bajaj guys are regular at xBHP.com etc. This made them realise about the huge untapped premium biking segment and so now we've lots & lots of new Pulsars !!!

[DileepKS]

On the lighter side, if companies did take forums seriously, Maruti should have dropped all models and just sold Balenos.

[carCrazy25]

Originally Posted by DileepKS

On the lighter side, if companies did take forums seriously, Maruti should have dropped all models and just sold Balenos.

Point to be noted me lord!!!!

[kkr2k2]

Originally Posted by DileepKS

On the lighter side, if companies did take forums seriously, Maruti should have dropped all models and just sold Balenos.

good one.

there are quite a few bhpians here with balenos.

so is the case with altos, zens, swifts and esteem. yeah, they might have stopped M800 if they take the feedback from forums only. But they want to tap the potential of entry level car buyers, as long as there is a profit in that category maruti continues to come out with M800.

[mithun]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

Bajaj is actually taking a lot of interest in customer feedback, be it anything at all. They took feedback from members of a dedicated yahoogroups community in bring about the all-black Pulsar, mag wheels, engine cut-off switch and so on. When i posted a grievance with regards to a dealer in Hyderabad on that forum, got a call from a Bajaj representative who informed that the concerned dealer had been reprimanded, and my grouse addressed. Needless to say, was treated like a king during my following visits.

The same is also the case with me. When I had complained against Popular Bajaj@Cochin, they had acted on my complaint swiftly and solved all my problems within a single day !!!

[carfreak]

great news indeed.everything is a bit slow in india,especially when it comes to customer satisfaction,but surely manufacturers will start taking opinions seriously and will react fast to ensure top customer satisfaction.with increasing competition and marginal differences in safety,performance,fuel efficiency etc between various models,customer satisfaction will be the thing that decides who gets better sales,so they cannot ignore online forums for long!!

[amit]

Originally Posted by 1100D

Well if this is true, why am I not getting a hint of confirmation of the 1.9 jtd being used in any of the things that calls themselves cars.

Car makers, read this, I want a 1.9 JTD TODAY (will you).

For your bad luck, the JTD manufacturer is Fiat. I don't think there must be a internet connection at the Fiat plant.

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by amit

For your bad luck, the JTD manufacturer is Fiat. I don't think there must be a internet connection at the Fiat plant.

Why ? didn't they pay the broadband bill ???

[iraghava]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

Why ? didn't they pay the broadband bill ???

No, actually they never even paid the dial-up bill due to bankrruptcy issues earlier, so the service provider refused to upgrade them to Broadband or any other kind of Net Access

[adya33]

Guys please stick to the topic.

[sriny_blr]

Now Now You guys are P***ing off the FIAT fans (includes me) if not just the FIAT company ...

[sreenivass]

Originally Posted by iraghava

No, actually they never even paid the dial-up bill due to bankrruptcy issues earlier, so the service provider refused to upgrade them to Broadband or any other kind of Net Access

There is no sign of Fiat taking the forums seriously, or are they. May be they think Fiat owners are happy despite A.S.S issues, so no need to improve.

[rahul_intlad]

Now toyota too has found the internet is a beneficial medium:

“Internet research is becoming an important part during the purchasing process of cars nowadays. We feel that using tools like microsites, direct mailers through the internet, SMS campaigns will help the customer complete his research.said an official spokesperson, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM).

Source:
Motown plans online strategy to get mileage-Automobiles-Auto-News By Industry-News-The Economic Times

[vikrantw1]

Originally Posted by rahul_intlad

Now toyota too has found the internet is a beneficial medium:

“Internet research is becoming an important part during the purchasing process of cars nowadays. We feel that using tools like microsites, direct mailers through the internet, SMS campaigns will help the customer complete his research.said an official spokesperson, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM).

Source:
Motown plans online strategy to get mileage-Automobiles-Auto-News By Industry-News-The Economic Times

It certainly doesn't show in their pricing practices for the corolla - where they continue to price a generation old car more than the civic and then give a measly 5% discount on it - but provide much worse financing

Overall I think that they reason bike manufacturers are going with listening to forums is that I think the 2 - wheeler mkt in India is reaching saturation faster and getting specific inputs might help them create niche segments - such as making bikes for people who only use it for recreational purposes ( read as " use it to overcome their mid life crisis")
Am not sure we are on the same stage of maturity/ saturation as far as the cars/SUV's are concerned - the volumes, the industry cost structures etc - because
a)cars are still a bit of a sellers market -
Heck if it weren't why would an SX4 not have launched an auto variant < if it is pitting itself against the NHC why not> and the NHC be sold at a premium in India without ABS/airbags - something it offers even in thailand - <so much for contemporary technology being brought in by honda - Indians made of stainless steel >

b) our consumer is not as educated as elsewhere -inspite of what we would like to believe
on this forum itself I have had people question the need for ABS/ airbags - they rather have a zippy engine - but am I glad that is not the mkt research that companies are using in their newer variants.

c) unlike bike mfrs in India for whom we are the most important mkt, we are still a tiny % of total sales for intl companies

[dadu]

Its good that atleast they get a direct and honest feedback fo their products + they know what their customers are demanding/need.